Crosscutting a LARGE Live Oak

[Floridabuck]

I have a customer that has asked me to cut some “cookies” from a Live Oak stump that is about 72” across (I warned him about the inevitable cracking and questioned what he would actually do with this monster round of oak, but he insisted)

The largest saw I currently have is a 395xp. Obviously, I would not attempt to mill 72” long grain slabs with this saw; but am I wrong to think I could make a few bucking cuts through it? I have a 72” bar that I had on a 3120xp that I no longer own. I cut one for him today with the above mentioned saw and a 42” bar. It turned out pretty good but making a super clean cut from both sides was a bit of a challenge.

 

[csmillingnoob]

Sharpen frequently. The "sap" does not lubricate - it actually bakes onto your cutter and adds friction.

I recently cut cookies from a 48 inch live oak with a 42" bar on my 390xp (of course I had to cut the center from both sides.) Never felt a strain though it was not fast. Noodling / Ripping vertical was possible. However, my saw did not like it at all when I tried ripping with the horizontal alaskan mill. Not at all. O course, you have a bit more power with the 395

That stuff is extremely hard and the bark is filthy. Sharpen, sharpen, sharpen. Stay away from the limbs as much as possible because the ferns will have created a 2 inch layer of dirt on the tops. I'm not going to try ripping again until I get my dual powerhead mill set up.

Janka Hardness: 2,680 lbf (12,920 N)

 

[csmillingnoob]

I'm in Southwest Georgia. Albany, North of Apalachicola. Are you in the Panhandle ? Cutting "Michael Wood" like me? The eye passed over my house but it was "only" a Class II at that time.

Plenty of logs to go around, though FEMA has done a pretty good job and the roadside logs have all but disappeared. Plenty on private property though. Especially Pecan Groves.

 

[Floridabuck]

No, Sir. I am in North’s a central Florida. Just north of Gainesville. I have done some work out in the panhandle recently, but I mostly stay close to home.

 

[csmillingnoob]

the gf loves Ginny Springs in CF. I have to go a couple of times a year